Machinery for making chains



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC.

JNo.M. cRAwroRm or Naw oAsiLii, rENNsYLvANiA.

MACHINERY FOR `MAKING CHAIN S.

`Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,737, dated February 17, 1852.

. end thereof, and showing the wire or rod c under operation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through themachine, asdenoted by the dotted line m of Fig. "3, the wire or rod to form thelink having been cut to the required length, and situated to be bent, bythe swage, toa semi-oval or U shape. Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesection, taken as indicated by the dotted line 2, 2, of Fig. 2, theparts maintaining the position seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a transversesectional. View taken as indicated by the line 2, 2 of Fig. 2, andlshowing the wire or rod bent tothe semi-oval-or U shape. Fig. 5 is a`similar section to Fig. 4, showing the lapping levers closed and theform of the link completed. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional viewshowing the sliding dies R, R", i lclosed to weld or unite the ends, andthus finish the formation of the link. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionalview taken on the `line .fr of Fig. 3, showing the welding dies open andthe swage or former, with the `link seat, raised, and the link mountedupon a suspending arm, to be `pushed` into its seat. Fig. 8 is a similarview to F ig. 7,`the link` being seated and held by the arm Z and thewire or rod, for the succeeding link, fed into the finished link. Fig. 9is a similar view to Fig. S, thewire or rod, to form the succeedinglink, having' been cut, and bent to the semi-oval or U shape, severallinks of the chain being also shown. Fig.` l() is a sectional plan viewshowing the pushing bar V, turning lever WV, vibrating suspending 1 armS, stationary beddies, &c., theseveral parts being shown in the positionwhen the link is suspended to the arm S. Fig. 1l is a similar view toFig. 10',tlie several parts being shown in the position when the link isturned and seated.` jFig. l2 is an end view of the swage, N, link seatC, and holding arm Z. Fig. 13 is a horizontal section of the end of thebentlever j, and showing the holding arm Z, more clearly in connectionwith the link seat. Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional elevation 'showingthe pendant cam bars 4 and 5, spring bar X, &c., looking toward the leftside of the same. Fig. 1-5 is a similar view to Fig. ltlooking towardthe inside. i i

The same letters of reference denote the same parts on the severalfigures.

`The arrows F'gs. l and 2 show the direction of the turning of the camshaft.

The nature of my invention consists, in a certain new and usefulcombination and arrangement of mechanical devices, which operatesuccessively upon the wire or rod` y (previously heated to a weldingheat) cutting a piece therefrom of the proper length t-o `form the link,bending the same tol a semi-oval or U shape, lapping thevends, andwelding them together, and thus form the link, `and deliver it upon avibrating suspending arm, on which it is turned, and carried to a seat,from which (seat) it is displaced by the formation of the succeedinglink, there being required during the operationof the machine, but oneattendant to feed the wire or rod in the machine.

The frame for supporting and containing the several parts of the machineis of a rectangular or other form and of suitable dimensions. y

A is the propelling cani shaft, mounted in bearings in pilla-rs a, a,and on one end of which is a balance or fly wheel B, and a pulley C, toreceive the band from the propeiling power. On the shaft A, there is acam D, for depressing the shear cutter 1L, to cut a piece of therequired length to form the link, from the wire or rod. On the shaft A,there is a cam E, for depressing the swage or former N, tobend the wireor rod to the semi-oval or `U shape. On thel shaft A, there is a cam F,for actuating the lapping levers P, P. On the shaft A, are cams Cr, H,for advancing the dies R R to weld or unite the ends to finish the link.

I, is a `cani on the shaft A, for actuating the finishing arm or bar V,turning lever W, and vibrating suspending arm S to turn the link, andpush it into its sea-t.

J J are two fixed dies, supported by central beamsof the frame, betweenthe ends of which the wire or rod is bent to the semioval or U shape. Onthe upper surfaces of the ,dies J J there is formed slightly obliqueextending up-ward and frontward to receive y grooves b b, Figs. 6 and10, into which the wire or rod enters, the groove Z9', of the die Jhaving a rib c on the right side thereof, for the purpose of'cantingt-hat portion of the wire or rod, resting therein, leftward, Jvhile itis being bent to the semi-oval or U shape, which allows the ends to passor lap each other, when closed by the lapping levers P, P, the spacebetween the ends of the dies being sufficient to allow the link to bebent and turned to be seated.

K, is an oblique steel cutter, xed on the bed of the front die J, havinga cavity d therein corresponding with the grooves in the dies J Jthrough which the wire or rod is fed. The rod or wire is gaged to theproper length by an adjustable stop e on the die J. v

To the inner end of a lever f whose fulcrum is at g, Fig. 1, and havinga branch h extending upward and leftward to receive the action of thecam D, is attached a shear cutter L, extending outward, and rearwardfrom t-he lever f at an angle corresponding with the stationary cutterK, so that on the descent of the cutter L, the piece to form the linkwill be separated from the rod. The branch h of the lever f is kept incontact with the cam D, by means of a spring M, attached to the frame,and united to the vbranch z. by a vertical rod z', said spring M,

elevating the` cutter L, to the feed of the rod, when the lever isrelieved from the cam D.

N, is the swage or former, made lof cast steel, of the form and size ofthe links to be formed, secured permanently to the lower inner end of abent lever j and projecting therefrom a sufficient distance to allow theformation of the links thereon, the fulcrum of the lever being at j" andits curved end the action of the cam E.

O, is an arm, fixed to and projecting from the inner end of the lever jdirectly beneath .the swage or former, N, and is furnishedf lon one sidethereof, with a recess into which the finished link is pushed, as seen1n Figs. i

8, 12 and 13, the top of said arm 0,5being provided with a cavity la toguide the wire or rod, when inserting it into the groovesv of the dies JJ and also serves to preventthe displacement vof the wire or rod whilebeing bent by the swage. this arno O, is formed into a curved jogorprojection Z,see Figs. 12 and 13, and forms I Ythe bottom of the seatofthe link, upon which rests the lower portion of thelink, whenfinished, and suspended upon the curved end of the vibrating arm S',whereby `the lower portion of the link is sustained or steadied whilebeing turned by the arm or bar V, and pushed into its seat, as will behereafter described. When the finished link is seated, the lower portionthereof fits upon The lower end of the projecting jog Z and the upperportion fits into a semi-circular cavity m in the underside of theswage, as seen in Fig. 8.

P, P, are the lapping levers, the fulcra n n thereof being in an uprightplate 0 of the frame, and the ends whereof curving downward, and towardeach other, on either side of the swage N, and uniting by connectingarms p to a transverse lever Q, havingits fulcrum at Q, and elevated (toopen the lapping levers P, P, when relieved from the cam F) by a springr and vertical rod r attached to the end of said lever Q, the end of thelatter moving between cleats g, Fig. 3, on the inside of the pillar a.The object of these levers P, P, is to bend, and lap, the ends of thewire or rod over, and

upon the swage N, to be united or welded Y Y on the horizontal end ofthe lever j, and4 made to move back and forth between side plates s s,the latter being grooved to receive tongues on the slide s. situateddirectly over the swage N, and has a cavity u 'on its underside of theexact counterpart of the upper part of the swage N, into which thelatter fits, whereby the This die R is die R, is allowed to slide overthe swage to move the link to the end of the swage, where the dies meet,and weld the endsrof the link. rPhe swage N, and die R, project throughan opening t, in the plate o wherein they rise and fall with the end ofthe lever y'. The advance movement of the die R, is effected by means ofa curvedV lever S, having its fulcrum at v and extending upwardandrightward to receive the action of the cam H. This lever S, has Aanupright branch or arm o which connects with the slide s of the die R, bya rod '02, Fig. 2, and thus the descent of the lever S, by the cam H,advances the die R. The dieR, is .Y

N, and arm or seat O after the vlink has been finished, and the lever y'relieved from the cam E) is effected by a spring lvland rod @5, see Fig.2. The die R is mounted on a slide :wand held by a set screw fw', theslide w being mounted upon and moving over a bed ".102 furnished withside plates w3 grooved to receive tongues on the slide w. The ends ofthese dies R R, are furnished with semi-circular cavities 15 15 intowhich the upper part of the linkvfits when the dies are brought togetherto weld or unite the ends of the link. The advance movement of the die Rmoves'the "link flush with the `face of the` swage or former, where thefully cam Gr. jecting vertically from the fulcrumg/ and connects withthe` slide w by a rod 2, `wherel by the descent of the levery advancesthe die R, and the latter is made to recede by a l spring e attached tothe slide fw and frame.

S is the vibrating hook shaped arm upon j which the finished link l issuspended, attached by a bolt to a` bar a2 on the bed fw directlybeneath the end of the dieR, the inner `or carved end of the arm \S"eXtending opposite the centerof thejswage, inv a `position to receivethe linished link when link.

` the action of the cam I, and al branch eX-` dropped from the diesR R.The outer end of the arm S" is `attached to a rod b2. extendinghorizontally through" an` opening- `in a jog c2 of the plate m03, saidrod b2 having a spring @Z2` coiled around its outer end, and bearingagainst the jog c2 and a pin c2 whereby the tendency of the rod b2 1s tomove outward `t, which motion of the rod is` governed by a shoulder"thereon acting against the jog c2 as shown in Figs. 10 and` 11) forretaining the curved end of the` arm S in a position to receive thenished` The arm S is vibrated ito withdraw its curved end `from theswage to relieve it `of the link and allow itjto be pushed into the`seat of the arm O, by means of a `lever T, whose `fulcruin is at` f2having a branch `extending upward and left-ward to `receive tendingdownward against a horizontal cross bar g2 of the pushing slide bar@,there being a set screw ,71.2 inthe end ofthe cross bar g2 forstrikingthe end of the rod 52, to

` force it inward when the cam I, moves the "upper branch ofthe leverT,outward,and`

thus vibrates the arm S to deliver the link.

V, is the pushing slide bar, `placed upon` the bed fw, beneath the die R,and extending the length of the saine, its outer endbeing attachedtothe cross bar `g2 ,and its inner' end inade pointed andso situated inrelationto the swage N, that on its advance (which must be simultaneous`with the withdrawal `of the curved end of the arm Sw) it will strikethe front side of the linkwhile sus` pended upon the end of the arm S`and push .1

it leftward, and at the saine moment the `pushing bar V, will actuate aturning lever W, the end whereof catches `against the opposite side `ofthe flink and turns it `rightward and frontward,during which the.` lowerportion `of the link ris `sustained and held (while being turned by theprojecting jog Z of the arm O, and delivered into its seat. The turninglever W, is about two thirds the length of the pushing slide bar V, andhas its fulcrum `near the center thereof. lts outer end is notched andinclined to receive the action of an inclined shoulder 2 von the slidebar V, the inclination `of the end of the lever W, and shoulder Zbeingsuch as to impart to the turning lever W, the peculiar mot-ion requiredto turn the link, while the slide bar V, pushes it into its seat, therebeing also corresponding inclined shoulders 2 2, Figs. 10 andll, on theadjacent sides of and near the inner ends ofthe lever 1V, and bar V, forthe purpose of moving the inner end of the 'turning `lever rearward,asseen in` Fig. 10, by the receding movement ofthe slide bar V, whenthelever T, is relieved from the calm 1.

Directly in front of the shear cutter L, there is attached to the framea spring bar X, Figs. 3 and 4, 6 and 14, the inner end whereof, issituated so as to be` depressed by the descent of the shear cutter L,`and has `attached to its end an arm `Y, projecting upward, near the endwhereof is a pin 3, Figs. 14 and 15.

Tothe left side of the plate 0 are attached a `pair of `pendant cam bars4 and 5 which turn upon a fulcrum pin 6 at the upper end thereof. Fromone of these bars 4 projects a `cam 7 in a :position to receive theupward action of the pin 3 of the arin Y, when the shear cutter L,rises, and with it the end of the spring `bar X, and arm Y, the pendantbar 4 being formed into a cam `13 at its lower end, as seen in Fig. 15,and the arm 5 being a little shorter than the arm 4 and tapered to apoint', for the purpose of passing alternately behind the outer ornotched endof the curved holding arm Z, Fig. 13, to keep it open, toallow the link to be removed from its seat (when the die R, advances tomove the succeeding link from the swage to be welded) and to be inreadiness to hold the next link, pushed into the seat.

8, 8, `are springs for the purpose of forcing the ends of the cam bars 4and 5 behind the outer `o`r notched end ofthe holding arm Z. 9 isa shortpendant arm pivotedbya `pin 10, Fig. 15, and so situated, that on thedepression of the end of the spring bar X, theend ofthe short pendantbar 9 will be forced leftward, and with it the outer or notched endofthe holding arm Z, and permit fthe endsof the pendant cam bars 4 and 5to pass behind, or ,inl the notches Iof said to the link. seat in such amanner as to be forced against the left side of the link when at rest,in the seat, by means of a spring 1l made to bear against its outer end,in which end are two notches to receive t-he ends of the pendant cambars aforesaid.

'In order to explain more clearly the arrangement of the parts, tooperate the holding arm Z, I will here give theiroperation. l

Simultaneously with the descent of the shear cutter L, to cut fromthewire or rod a piece of the proper length to form the link the end ofthe spring bar X is depressed a distance equal to the thickness of theWire or rod (the latter remaining between the shear cutter L, and end`of the spring bar Xl) and with it the projecting arm Y, which relievesthe pin 3 of said arm of the cam 7 and at the same time forces the shortpendant arm 9 outward, and with Ait the outer end of the holding arm Z.The lower end of the pendant cam bar trwill then be made to pass intothe notch of the holding arm Z, and the latter, with the swage N, andsliding die R, will at this moment commence descending and bend thepiece of iron to av semi oval or U shape, its ends bent and lapped (bythe lapping levers P P) and welded by the dies R R. The latter' thenrecedes, and the swage is raised, and with the arm Z, the notched endwhereof rises over the tapered end of the pendant cam bar 5, and thelink moved from its seat and the succeeding pushed into its place. Atthis moment the shear cutter L rises, and with it the end of the springbar X, and its projecting arm Y, strikes ythe cam 7 on the pendant cambar 4 and forces t-he lat-ter frontward from the holding arm, and thusunlocks said arm and allows its curved end to be forced inward by thespring 11 against the link and hold it in its seat until the completionof the succeeding.

The size of the swage or former, dies, &c., will be governed accordingto the size of the links to form the chains.

l/Vhen it is desired to adapt the machine for making chain cables, withbars across the links, the swage or former is recessed horizontallyacross its face to receive the bar, so that when the piece of iron toform the link is bent over the swage the ends of thel cross bar (beingconcave) will fit the sides of the link, and thus they are united orwelded together.

Operation: The machine being put in motion by any adequate power, thewire or rod Y from which the links are to be formed, being heated to ared heat, is fed into the machine in a slightly oblique directionvthrough the cavity Z in the fixed cutter K, and into the `grooves b ofthe dies J J through the cavity 7 of the arm or link seat O, and isgaged by the stop e. Thershear cutter then descends and cuts from thewire or rod a piece, which is then bent to the semi-oval or U shape bythe descent of the swage N, .be-

tween the ends ofthe dies J J the ends of the rod being slightly cantedby the oblique posit-ion of the grooves b b and shoulder c while beingbent. Immediately after the descent of the swage the bending and lappinglevers P, P, are made to approach each other and bend and lap theends ofthe rod or wireover and upon the swage, during which the grooves in theends of the levers P, P, serve to hold the ends of thevwire, and preventthem striking when passing to form the lap.- After the link is formedthe ievers P, P, recede (the shear cutter L, and swage remaining down)and the horizontal welding dies R R made to advance and meet flush withthe face of the swage N. The die R, in its advance pushes the link tothe end of the swage, where its ends are forced into the grooves l5 l5in the ends of the dies and welded. The dies then recede, and the end ofthe vibrating arm S', and simultaneously therewith the swage N, arm orlink seat O, are made to rise, and the slide bar V, moves forward andpushes the link, and the movement of said bar actuates thej lever W, toturn the link. At this moment the suspending arm S will be vibrated andits curved end Withdrawn from the swage and the link delivered into theseat of the arm O, and the shear cutter L allowed to rise. Thiscompletes the operation of making the link and seating the same, afterwhich it is held by the holding arm Z, as before described, until thesucceeding link is formed and brought forward by the die R, to the endof the swage, and with it the finished link, from the seat, to bedropped when the link under operation shall have been finished anddropped upon the suspending arm S to be seated. The feeding of the rodor wire through the finished vlink takes place im- X, and vibrates oropens the holding arm Z, c to allow the seated link to be removed forthe succeeding link. The shear cutter then rises and actuates theholding arm as before described. The operation of the several parts ofthe machine in this manner is continuous, the finished links droppingfrom the link seat as fast as succeeding links are formed. w

Having thus described the construction and operation of my machine formaking chain, I wish it to be understood that l d-o not claim to be theoriginal invent-or of the combination of the parts, movements, andoperations, in one machine, which are required to make ack chains, byone process, from straight wire, after it is cut off in suitable lengthsto the finished chain. Nor do I claim the stud pin, With a recess in it,as a mandrel,around which the bow `of a link is bent, while the bow ofanother link is held in the recess, thereby forming a continuous chain.Nor do I claim a partly revolving mandrel with a stud pin, and nipper,and other appendages, for bending the last bow of each link,as combined,used, and constiiting part of a machine already patented.

`lhat I do claim as new and of my own invention, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. The combination of .the Welding dies R R with the `swage N, forwelding or uniting the lapped ends of the link, and dropping the` latterupon the suspending arm S the advance of the die R, moving the link tothe face-of the swage, Where the operation of Welding is performed.

2. Attaching the vibrating arm S to the bed 102 of the die R andoperating the same insuch manner as to receive the finished link, andsuspend the same in a position to `be seated.

3. The `combination of the slide bar V, turning lever W, and cross barg2 constructed and arranged as described and represented, the said barV, and lever W, operating to turn, and push the finished link into itsseat.

4. The link seat O, attached to the lever j beneath the swage N, forreceiving the finished link, from the suspending arm S', and holding thesame, until the wire or rod, for the succeeding link is fed into thenished link, cut off, bent, and ready to be welded.

5. The employment of the curved holding lever Z, attached to the leverj, in combination with the pendant cam bars 4 and 5, short pendant arm9, arm Y, pin 3 and spring bar X, constructed, arranged, and operatingas described, whereby the finished link is held in its seat andliberated therefrom, simultaneously with the advance of the die R, tofinish the succeeding link.

6. The combination of the spring bar X, with the shear cutter L, wherebythe pendant cam bars 4, and 5, are actuated through the pin 3 andsprings 8, 8, to hold or relieve the arm Z, from the seated link, asdescribed, and shown in the drawings.

7 Finally I claim making the grooves o b in the bed dies J J slightlyoblique to their faces for the purpose of canting the ends of the rod orwire, so as to allow them to lap When bent by the levers P P asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name before twosubscribing Witnesses.

JOHN M. oRAWFoRD.

Witnesses:

RoBT. GANE, EDMUND S. GARDE.

